Strap-fastening for trunks



(No Model.) 4 Sheeti-Sheet 1.

W. W. BAYS.

STRAP PASTENINGPOR TRUNKS.

No; 413,483. Patented 001;. 22, 71889.

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W. W. BAYS.

STRABPASTENING FOR. TRUNKs;

No. 413,483. Patented 001;.22, 1889.

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STRAP FASTENING FOR TRUNKS. No. 413,483. Patented Oct. 22. 1889.

(No Model.)

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A t e e h S 8 I 8 e h s 4 S Y A B a. d o M 0 m STRAP FASTENING FORTRUNKS.

Patented 0a. 22, 1889.

made??? aooo UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIcE.

\VILLIAM XV. BAYS, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.

STRAP-FASTENING FOR TRUNKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 413,483, dated October22, 1889.

Application filed July 15,1889. Serial No, 317,512- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. BAYS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Knoxville,in the county of Knox and State of Tennessee, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Strap-Fastenings for Trunks andother Articles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of straps used in securing trunks andvarious articles of baggage, wherein it is desirable that the strapsshall surround the articles to which they are applied at two or moredifierent' points and in two different directions.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide a strap-fastening for thepurposes specified having a simple, safe, and inexpensive constructionand arrangement, whereby trunks or other articles of baggage may besecured without regard to their size or form, said strap being capableof extension and contraction to adapt it to difl'erent sizes and formsof baggage.

It is my object, also, to provide a strap capable of surrounding trunksor other articles of baggage at two or more points-and in two differentand opposite directions, the parallel members of the strap-fasteningbeing adjustable toward and from each other or toward and from a centralmember, and be= ing also capable of elongation and contraction to adaptthem to articles of different sizes and forms, the buckles or otherfastening attachments being at all times upon the top or upper portionof the trunk or other package, whereby the convenience of the personusing the device is greatly promoted and the strap-fastening made to fitclosely to the trunk or other package to be secured.

lhe invention contemplates, in short, what maybe termed astrap-fastening for trunks and other articles of baggage, the same consistingof individually separable, extensible, and contractile members,combined with extensible top and bottom straps in such manner that thewhole forms a single structure, the lateral bottom branches of which maybe adjusted to and from each other, as well as the main branches, thefastening-buckles or similar attaching devices being all connected withthe top strap, whereby the several connections of the main and lateralbranches with the top straps may be readily made, the

main and lateral branches being easily at- 'tached and removedindividually, and being separable without dismembering the other parts,the whole forming a suitable and comparatively inexpensivebaggage-fastening capable of universal use, and which may be made ofleather, rubber, rawhide, cloth, or of two or more of these severalmaterials to gether, or may be manufactured out of any other suit-ablyflexible material or materials.

It is also my purpose, when desired, to associate with the strap asuitable card-holder formed of leather or any suitable material, andadapted to occupy a substantially central position upon the trunk orpackage, said card-holder being constructed to securely hold and displaya card or tablet having the name of the owner printed or writtenthereon, together with such, other matter as may be desired-such as theresidence or destination-the construction being such as to prevent theunauthorized removal of the card. As a substitute for this form ofcard-holder I provide, also, a name-plate, which may form a permanentattachment to the strap, and

when said plate is used the name being applied directly to the surfaceof the plate instead of a removable or interchangeable card.

The invention consists of the several novel features of construction andnew combinations of parts hereinafter described and fully set forth, andthen definitely pointed out in the claims.

Refer-ring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective viewof a trunk with my strap-fastening applied thereto, and also showing myaccompanying card-holding attaohment applied to the strap and arrangedon the top of the trunk. Fig. 2 is a plan view of said strap-fasteningremoved from the trunk and laid upon a flat surface, the card- 5 holdingattachment being removed. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cruciformconnection on top, showing how it may be formed by four arms attached toa central ring instead of being simply crossed and fastened together,-1oc as in Figs. 2 and 4, the ring'preferably being elliptical or ovaland the longitudinal arms being preferably somewhat longer than theothers. Fig. 4c is a plan view of the strap, the name-plate orcard-holder being removed, 10 5 and showing a modified arrangement ofthe plan View of mytrunk-strap, showing the bot-- tom or extensiblestraps attached to spring or snap hooks, (when desirable,) said strapsbeing looped through lateral openings or slots in the outer end of thesnap-hooks, while the hooks are removably attached to the central bottomring and the side frames of the large buckles 22 of the mainlongitudinal extension.

In the drawings, the reference-numeral 1 designates a trunk or any otherarticle to which a strap-fastening may be applied.

While the general construction of my invention is substantially the samein all cases, itis adapted to articles of various and more than usualsizes by increasing the number of lateral branches or cross-straps, andwhich may be added in the manner hereinafter set forth.

The numeral 2 designates a cruciform top connection, which is formed bytwo straps 2 of preferably unequal lengths crossing each other at rightangles in the middle and being fastened by sewing or riveting or by anyother suitable fastening, or formed by four arms attached to a centralring, as seen in Fig. 3. Each of the straps 2 is provided at its endwith a buckle 3, of any suitable pat tern.

The cruciform connection 2 may, if desired, be provided with acard-holder or with'a simple name-plate. he former is shown in Figs. 6and 7, and consists of a plate 3, of leather or other suitable material,having lugs 4, by which it is riveted or otherwise fastened to thestraps 2" upon two sides and one end. Upon the under surface of this'plate is a thinner sheet or floor 5, of leather or other material,united at its edges to the plate 3 by stitching or otherwise, but leftunattached thereto at one end of the plate 3, and which end is providedwith astrap 6. The unatached end of the sheet or floor 5 is preferably alittle longer at the corners than the plate 3, to facilitate theinsertion and removal of the card 8. (See Fig. 6 This end of thecardholder is detachably connected to the rem aining one of the straps 2byastaple 7, mounted on said strap and engaging with a slot 8, formed inthe end of the plate 3, sheet 5, and strap 6. The central portion of theplate 3 is removed to display the card 8, which is inserted and removedbetween the plate and sheet 5. A padlock 9 or other device by means ofthe staple secures the open end of the card-holder against any attemptto tamper therewith, as it connects it to the strap 2. The loose orouter end of the strap 6 engages a buckle 10 on the strap 2 of thecruciform connection to hold the end firmly down upon said strap, andwhen preferred this or any other fastening may be substituted for thepadlock, though I prefer the strap and padlock both to be used, or strapand fixed or stationary bolt-lock, Fig. 6.

I may substitute for the card-holder a name-plate 12, composed ofleather, metal, or any other material, having the name printed, painted,or otherwise affixed. This plate is attached directly to the straps orarms of the cruciform connection. lVhen either the cardholder or nameplate is used, the said connection is preferably formed by simplycrossing the straps and riveting or otherwise attaching the same, thusdispensing with the ring. The plate 3 of the card-holder is preferablystiff or of little flexibility, while the sheet 5 may be quite flexible,or, if preferred, vice versa.

When so desired, in place of padlock a small, square, fixed, orstationary bolt-lock (designated by dotted lines and key-hole on plate 3of Fig.6) may be used. This card 8 may have on itblank lines forname ofowner or consignor, place from which, and person from whom, the trunk orbaggage is shipped, and also the date of the shipment. (See Fig. 6.) Toone of the buckles 3, attached to one of the straps 2, I connect the endof the extensible top strap 13, and to the buckle-strap diametricallyopposite is connected a similar strap 14:. These straps 13 and 14 formaportion of the top longitudinal strap-fastening, and they can belengthened or shortened by attaching them at Various poin ts tothebuckles 3 3 on the ends of the longitudinal arms of the cruciformconnection-that is, by placing the tongues of the buckles 3 at thedesired point in the holes of the straps 13 and 14. Upon the free orouter end portions of the straps 13 and 14 are mounted short crossstraps15, each having a fastening-buckle 16 at each end for the reception ofthe ends of the lateral straps 17, while the ends of the straps 13 and14 are also provided with similar fastening-buckles 18 for the receptionof the main longitudinal adjustable straps 21, which pass over the endsof the trunk. (See what may be termed the vertebral top connections ofthe strap-fastening, and may be extended to any degree required bysimply duplicating the straps 13 and 14 and the corresponding lateralstraps 17 of the bottom connection, and by attaching to the added straps13 and 14 the fastening-buckles 18, each duplicated strap having thecross-strap 15 with buckles 16.

The numeral 19 denotes a metal ring, which may be either circular oroval, and through which are looped two similar main longitudinal straps21, lying practically in the same straight line. Each of these straps 21is provided with a broad-framed buckle 22, through which the strappasses after it is looped into the ring 10", and whereby the length ofthe strap can be easily adjusted by The parts thus described constitute.

justingbuckle 26, through which the body of the strap passes,respectively, and whereby adjustment as to length may be easily made inthe manner already specified.

The ring 19 with its connected straps being laid fiat upon any suitablesupport, the trunk or other package is placed thereon, with the ring 19in or about the center of the bottom. The vertebral strap-connection,already described, is then placed upon the top, lying longitudinally,and the buckle 16, upon the ends of the lateral. branches of thevertebral strap, are fastened to the ends of the adjusting lateralstraps 1'7, looped through the side bars of the buckle-frames 22. Theends of the straps 21 are then brought over the ends of the package andfastened to the buckles 18 upon the ends of the straps 13 and 14, whilethe straps 23 engage the buckles 3 on the ends of the lateral arms ofthe cruciform connection, making the fastening complete. By omitting orremoving the top straps 13 and 14 and the adjusting lateral straps 17 afour-branched fastening may readily be formed by connecting the mainlongitudinal straps 21 with the fastening-buckles 3 on the longitudinalarms 2 of the cruciform connection, and by connecting the straps 23 withthe buckles 3 on the ends of the lateral arms 2 of the cruciformconnection on the top of the trunk or package. (See Figs. 1 and 4.) So,also, by adding two or more straps 13 and 14, having cross-bars 15, tothe top connection and corresponding strap to the bottom connection thenumber of lateral or additional and adjustable straps may be multipliedor extended, as required by the size of the trunk or package. Moreover,

by taking up or shortening the several strap- I connections the intervalbetween the lateral branches may be varied to any degree, while bysetting the buckles of the straps 21, 23, and 17 at different points thesize or capacity of the fastening may be adapted to any size of trunk orpackage practicable. The fasteningbuckles of the straps are all broughtupon the top of the trunk or other package, where they are readilyaccessible.

When repair is needed, it is not necessary to cut away any oftheadjusting or extension straps, either 21, 23, or 17, as they are simplylooped in the ring 19 or buckle-frames 25, and may readily be removed;or if they are attached to the outer end of the spring or snap hooks bymeans of lateral or transverse slot, as already described, (see Fig. 8,)they can at once be attached or detachedfrom the central bottom ring 19and the buckle-frame 25 at will without taking them out of the slot,save for repairs. This adjustment will be found very convenient whendesired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. Astrap-fastening for trunks, consisting of a cruciform top connectionhaving an-attached card-holder or nam e-plate and abuckle on the end ofeach of its four arms, the three parallel lateral straps 17- 17 and 23buckled to'the cruciform top connection, and the longitudinal bottomstraps 21 buckled to the lateral straps, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2, In a strap-fastening, the combination of a cruciform top connectionhaving one or more longitudinal extensions composed of straps 13 and14,having cross-straps near the buckle end, of a bottom connectionconsisting of a ring having straps looped therein in four directions,said straps passed through their buckles and then connected to thebuckles of the top connection, and straps looped through the side barsof the buckles on the longitudinal straps of the bottom connection,substantially as described.

3. In a strap-fastening, the combination, with acruciform top connectioncomposed of a-four-branched attachment having buckles on each branch, ofa four-branched bottom connection composed of four long straps loopedthrough or otherwise connected with a central ring 19, and separatestraps mounted with the side bars 25 of buckles 22 and their ends passedthrough their buckles and connected thereto and then attached to thebuckles of the extensions of the cruciform attachment, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a strap-fastening, the combination, with a cruciform connectionconsisting of two straps crossed centrally and united and having bucklesat the four ends, of a card-holder mounted upon the same and connectedpermanently to three of the straps, said cardholder being composed oftwo plates or strips united at or near their edges upon the three sidesconnected to the straps, and having slots in the free ends of saidplates engaging a fastening upon the fourth strap, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a strap-fastening, the combination, with a cruciform topconnection, of extensions 13 and 14:, each having a strap 15, providedwith buckles at both ends, a bottom connection composed of straps 19,connected with a central ring, and having buckles 22, provided with sidebars 25, straps 17, connected with said side bars and havingbuckles 26,and central straps 23 connected with said ring at right angles to thelongitudinal straps, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have aiilxed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM W. BAYS.

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